With the guidance of museum consultant Robert Mac West,
Geotimes presents a directory of outstanding natural
history museums in the United States and Canada.

Diamonds to Diamonds: A Tour of the Smithsonian's New
Geology, Gems, & Minerals Hallby William G. Melson,
Jeffrey E. Post, Michael A. Wise, Sorena S. Sorenson, Richard S.
Fiske, James F. Luhr, Glenn J. MacPherson, and Timothy J.
McCoy
This major new exhibit offers a tour of Earth and solar system
treasures that begins with the famous Hope Diamond and ends with
the diamond dust of a now dead star. World-class specimens and
interactive displays invite the visitor to linger and learn about
the planet's origins and resources.

Communicating With Congress -- Part I. The Nature of the
Beastby Joseph A. BriskeyMaintaining federal
support of geoscience research will require convincing Congress
and the public of the importance of this work. To do so
effectively, we must understand the nature of electoral politics,
the relative unimportance of policy, and the realities of
surviving on Capitol Hill.

The National Geologic Map Database: A Progress Reportby David R. Soller and Thomas M. BergMandated by the
National Geologic Mapping Act, this new database will allow users
to locate maps produced anywhere in the nation via one central
site on the World Wide Web. Work on cataloging maps as metadata
and setting standards for producing digital maps is well under
way.